Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-11-03

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How abort 100000 of farmers, for
who n, outside of wool, rice and sugar
producers no one can show any di-
rect benefit from the tariff is it iair to
fleece them of at least OF their earn
ings ior the benefit Of the protected one
Ia lion
20 with the 100000 who render
services AMI who are neither mechan-
les nor farmers, is il fair to toll them
o. tieir eilrninrs for the benefit OF the
III 5r. d i,lkinI0?
The truth is. this whole protection
business is an outrage upon the many
for the benefit OF the few.
BY the lew do not mean the entire
million Of those we have been talking
about, but only the few thousands Of
them, who as capitalists have bagged
the money. The pig-iron kings, the
lumber lords, the anthracite coal bar
ons, and the salt nabobs are the fel-
lows who have reason to glorify pro-
tertion.
The claim, however, that tariff for
revenue only would destroy these in
dustries is all ioolishness. 1t would
lower prices doubtless, but the demand
would he so much greater that the in
creased sale although at lower profit
would enable them to make as much
money as before, and injure no one.
Nearly all of the e industries existed
and fourished in 1850 and before,
under an average tariff of 10 per cent,
and there never was time in the hist
ory of the country when they were ex-
tinct. In fact under low tariff, manu-
factures as whole have hourished
more than at any other period. Mo
nopolies were fewer, but the general
business OF the country was better.
The truth is, the whole business is to
thwart nature, and is an attempt to
make water run up hill.
1t is true we can make water run up
hill, il We use force enough, but it is an
expensive process and rarely pays.
SO in Ohio suppose we could raise
oranges enough, under glass, for home
consumption if We were compelled to
do SO by protective process sufficiently
stringent, and it would make a very
large industry, but it certainly would
be much cheaper to raise wheat, corn
and pork and exchange with Florida
and California.
So with every thing else, the true
policy is to produce that for which we
have the best natural advantages, and
exchange for that in other countries
where they have the better advantages
That is what creates commerce, and
without it commerce declines, as it has
in this country until our flag is Curl
osity outside Of our own boundaries.
The reply to all this on the part of
the protectionists is to yell "pauper Ia
Dor. )" "iou put us in competition with
the pauper labor Of Europe"
All we have TO say upon this point is,
if we do put ourselves in competition
with pauper labor in Europe we do it
with the oceans between us and 5000
miles OF transportation in our favor,
whilst the protectionist brings the pau
pers over here and puts them into COM
petition with us at our very doors.
II our protectionists are honest in
their cry about pauper labor they should
| put prohibitory tariff on the pauper,
as we'll as on the product of the pauper,
! and am not sure but that would be a
wise thing to do anyway.
But say the protectionists, are not
| manufactured articles cheaper than
| they were before the war? Yes, some
are, and some are not, but those that
are cheaper are not so on account OF
the tariff. but in spite OF it. Improved
machinery and cheaper transportation
are what make the difference.
| Take the tariff off and you will see
| what happens, as we do now in salt and
quinine.
The fathers of the Republic under
stool the evils OF high tariff perfectly
we'll and would have none of it.
Franklin said. freedom is the indis-
putable principle upon which the sue
cess of trade must depend, as clearly as
an open road tends towards safe and
| speedy intercourse; nor is there a
greater enemy than constraint. When
i the Government has been solicited to
support manufactures by encourage.
inent, in money, or by imposing duties
ON the importation of such goods. it has
generally been refused on this principle
that if the country is ripe for the man.
ufacture it may be carried on by private
f persons 10 advantage and if not, it il
| folly 10 think OF forcing nature"
A Even Alexander Hamilton, who was
| the father OF the Federal pnrty and
through it OF the Wing and Republican
parties, declared against high tariff
and declared that, ''exorhitant duties on
imported articles would beget a general
spirit Of smuggling, which IS always pre.
;nJ;c;ol to tha fa;r ,laolar and a,,a,, t,,ail,
tothe revenue itself; they triedtorendel
other classes OF the community tribut
airy, in an improner degree, 10 the man,
uiacturing classes, to whom they give d
| nrpyuatura naononolv of The n,aryats,